Matters of Fayth
by ParadigmShifter
Summary: Final Fantasy X Cross. The First Evil has plans for 'The One Who Sees'. Fifth Chapter Up!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Joss, WB, UPN et al own Buffy. SquareSoft (now Square Enix) own Final Fantasy, all of the games, films and whatnot associated. I don't own anything apart from a pile of textbooks, an unhealthily large number of CD's and LP's and one big student debt. So suing would be rather pointless... you can have my debt if you want, though. 

Title: Matters of Fayth

Author: Paradigm Shifter

Rating: I initially thought this wasn't going to warrant a 15, but better safe than sorry, in my opinion.

Feedback: Feedback is extremely important. You want fic, and I want feedback. So it should be a mutually agreeable arrangement. ;-)

Thanks: Go to the unusual suspects: Bobby Cox, Teri, and Trevelyan.

Dedication: This one's for Matt.

Written To: Quite a few things, The Cure predominantly, 'Faith' and 'Bloodflowers'.

Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Final Fantasy X.

Continuity: All seven series of Buffy, but only up to the beginning of the First Evil's mental attacks on the Scoobies. I've never seen series 7, so if some things are slightly out of order in canon timeline, forgive me. ;-) Xander hasn't lost his eye yet, either. But basically, it's a slight AU. If something doesn't mesh completely with the series, that's just the way it's gonna be. For Final Fantasy X, not an awful lot: this begins pre-game by quite a large margin, although it will become vaguely game canon eventually. Basic familiarisation with Auron, Jecht, Braska and the FFX storyline would be useful, but not essential, however. There were a couple of extremely good fics that dealt with Auron pre-game, but they've vanished from the 'net because the author has pulled out of fanfic.

Notes: Yeah, I know, another fic. You'd have thought I had enough started already, but it seems one more wants to join the mix. I hope you enjoy it.

And yeah, the First in this fic is actually Evil, rather than a pathetic waste. So expect it to do some nasty things... it's not above psychological torture in the series, but that was tame. Here, it's gonna be pulling out all the stops...

"Speech"; 'Thoughts' (or quotes, if it's in "speech"); emphasis

Also, this is somewhat of a departure for me: it's Faith friendly. At least, more than my fics usually are. Which isn't much. She survives. Which is more than can be said in a lot of my other fics. ;-)

-

-

Let the games begin...

-

-

Xander backed up as the First Evil sneered at him. Even though it was ethereal, he couldn't shake the feeling that it knew a lot of things that were going to be bad for the Scoobies in general, and him in particular. It was the way it looked at you.

"You know, young man, you are definitely becoming a far greater thorn in my side than I ever expected you to be."

'Bluff you way out of this, Xander... it's the only way to get it to go away.' "Yeah, well, all it takes is a little compassion to undo what you enjoy trying so much on the others. I mean, Faith: come on! She might have worked for the Mayor for a while, but he's dead and gone – and she's seen the error of her ways. That's why she's here. Unlike Buffy, we won't be bringing the Mayor back."

"Faith was just a trial run, boy," the First stepped closer, and Xander took another step back. "Along with all you're other little friends that have had visits from me. No, it might look like I go for the vulnerable ones... the ones who can't defend themselves... but that's no fun, now is it? No, 'save the best for last' as many have said. It gives me the opportunity to savour your defeat. Because defeat you I shall."

While speaking, it had backed Xander against a wall.

"Nowhere left to run, Zeppo. What are you going to do this time? Force me at cross-point down to a cave?"

It turned into Angel – but the look in the apparitions' eyes was that of Angelus, not Angel.

"Give me CPR and hope I jump into your arms as a thank you?"

Buffy stood there in a diaphanous gown that was somehow more lewd than if she had been naked.

"Back me down in a hospital?"

Angel again.

"Defuse a bomb? Stand me down?"

The First flashed into an image of Jack O'Toole, razor sharp 'Katie' and all.

"Run me over in a car?"

A perfect replica of one of the Sisters of Jhe stood there.

"C-can you save me this t-time?"

Tara stood there, shaking her head in disgust.

"Tell me you love me?"

It flashed into Willow, dark and veiny.

Xander closed his eyes. It wasn't real. That was the past. He'd listened when the others told him that it stopped hurting... but they were wrong. It never really went away. It just got lost among new pain.

"-Scared- of me, boy? What do you want; to go crying to your mother? Your mother couldn't save you before, and she can't save you now." Now the First was in the form of his father. Somehow, both it and the room had grown, or Xander had shrunk. He wasn't seeing his father from the perspective of an adult that could defend himself, but the perspective of a young child that still hadn't had the idealism ground out by repeated mistreatment. Xander knew he hadn't shrunk, so the First was playing tricks with perspective. Xander shut his eyes tightly to block out whatever the First had done, but it continued, "No good useless whore. She never could get anything right. It's only fair that you follow in her footsteps, you piece of shit."

"Go away." The words were quiet, not frightened, and not angry. But there was a quiet understatement that angry could be there in the very near future.

The First paused in its tirade. "...What?"

Xander opened his eyes. The illusion had gone. "I said go away. Go on, you heard me. Make tracks."

The First smiled. "Very well."

It turned into an image of the Mayor. "Just remember this, boy. I was around before you were born, and I'll be around long after you're dead, too. I'm unkillable."

"We will defeat you. Buffy and the Slayers in Training have a plan now."

"A plan?" The First spat. "That waste of bleach? A plan? She didn't even have the strength to stop her undead fuckbuddy from raping her!" The First saw a look of shock and revulsion appear on Xander's face, to be quickly covered with indifference again. "Oh, you mean you didn't know? She didn't tell you?" Its voice became wheedling.

"You have a truly wonderful General." It stood bold upright and extended its arm. "Hail, Buffy!"

"Or maybe it should be something more classical? Ave Buffy! Morituri te Salutant!" 1: Call of gladiators in Rome; normally to Caesar, although occasionally to the crowd if Caesar not present. Lit: "We who are about to die salute you."

"We will beat you." Xander said it quietly.

"You will? Really?"

The First turned into a small child, bouncing up and down excitedly, clapping its hands together. "Ooo! I can't wait!" Then it laughed loudly.

"Before I leave, Zeppo. There's one more thing I think you should know for future reference: just because I haven't influenced the physical world doesn't mean that I can't." It flicked its hand carelessly, and the air burst from Xander's lungs as something hit him in the gut. Hard.

"I have plans for you, Zeppo." It leaned down to where Xander was now kneeling, trying to get air back into his lungs. "Make sure you don't go too far... because you've got a long way still to go."

Xander tried to respond, but all that came out what a retching cough.

Then the First vanished.

-

It was a shaken Xander that walked down the stairs the next morning. Quieter than normal, refusing to meet anyone's eyes, and avoiding large groups. OK, so the third thing was almost impossible with the number of SiT's in the house, but the point was that he was avoiding them.

People noticed changes like that.

Well, some people.

People who actually noticed anything any more, at least.

Maybe.

It turned out that it was Dawn, Faith and a couple of the Slayers in Training that cornered him after breakfast. Buffy was outside running the rest of the SiT's ragged, Giles and Andrew were out shopping, Wood was still asleep, and Spike had vanished off in the early hours of the morning.

Fixing the sink in the bathroom for the fourth time in a week was starting to wear at Xander's patience. So, grinning widely at the choice and variety of swearing floating down the stairwell, Faith approached the door with Dawn in her wake. Buffy had had several words with Xander – none of them overly polite – about swearing when the SiT's could hear. Xander had mildly replied she should teach them that only water goes down a sink: not hair. Among with other joys of plumbing. Buffy had gone off in a huff.

Following Faith's instructions, the two SiT's guarded the door to make sure there were no interruptions.

Xander looked up when the door closed quietly and snapped, "What do you want?"

Faith was momentarily taken aback. The last thing she was used to was Xander snapping at her... er, anyone. If he snapped at her, she could probably understand it. "Whoa, X-man... what, did you get a package of hostility from home last night? I'm here to talk. Peace, an' all that."

Xander stood up with the U-bend of the sink in one hand and the matted wad of hair that had jammed it up in the other. "Alright. You're here to talk. So fine. Talk. Then go away."

Dawn frowned. "What happened, last night, Xan? Why won't you talk about it?"

"Nothing happened last night." Xander snapped, and then looked contrite. "Sorry, Dawn Patrol. Didn't mean to snap at you."

"But you meant to snap at me?" Faith asked with a smirk.

"Yeah." Xander rolled his eyes. "You can take it. You're a big girl."

"I'm not a kid any more, Xander LaVelle Harris!" Dawn's indignant cry made Xander wince.

"Who told you my middle name? If it was Willow, I'll kill her. I told her never to tell anyone." His tone was joking, but with the singularly unhappy look on his face, it was difficult to tell if he was serious or not.

Faith turned to look at Dawn appraisingly. "Y'know, I think anyone with eyes can tell you aren't a kid anymore, Dawnmeister." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Dawn blushed. "That is so not the point and you know it!" She looked daggers at Xander. "And you managed to divert us, but I'm wise to you! Xander. Tell us. What happened?"

Xander sighed angrily, and turned back to the sink. "I got a visit from the First, OK? It's obviously had enough tormenting the big leagues, and it's now going after me."

Faith paused. When the First had come to her, Xander had been the one to talk her through it: the First certainly knew how to mess with peoples heads... she was close to a breakdown after just a couple of minutes. "What did it say, X? I know you... you're the rock we all cry on. To work you over this good, it must have been gunning for ages!"

When he'd finished wrapping Teflon tape around the threads of the seals, he screwed the U-bend back on. Then he stood up and turned to the two girls.

"It wasn't how long it went on for. 'Cause while it's plenty lippy, it wasn't there for more than a few minutes. It was what it did. What it said. Who it played."

"Who did it play?" Dawn asked.

"Tara. And others. Willow too. The whole hit parade. Angel, Buffy, Jack O'Toole... the Mayor, loads of them. I'm surprised it didn't turn up as Jenny Calendar. Or Jesse..."

Dawn looked confused for a second. "You said that it played Willow? And Angel? How? Willow's not dead. Neither is Angel..."

"How stupid are all of you? Angel's a vampire. Of course he's dead!" A sneering voice came from the wall, and the First Evil appeared. "First you say I can only appear as people who are dead... and I disprove that one." It turned into veiny Willow. "Then you say that since I'm incorporeal... oh, and by the way, that should be ethereal you schmucks... I can't affect the material world – and I prove you wrong there again! With your track record, I'd give up and give me your soul's now. It'll be easier for all of us."

"Get lost!" Faith shouted.

"Oh, please." The First smiled, and turned into an exact copy of Faith. It turned to Xander. "Tell me the truth, boy toy. Did you like it inside me? Would you like to try me again? 'Cause I tell ya, I'm all hot for ya here, X..." The First licked its lips lasciviously. "Or would you like to try something different? How about here..." it sucked on a finger, "or here..." it pressed its breasts together enticingly, "...or something else entirely?"

Faith attacked.

Unfortunately, she sailed right through and landed in the shower unit, cracking her head on the tiles as she did so.

"Always solving problems with your fists, you Slayers... you'd have thought you'd learnt your lessons by now... staking the wrong man." Faith looked up groggily, and Xander and Dawn could see tears glittering in her eyes. "And as for your lovely Buffy... I'm surprised she can keep it in the same species!"

Dawn gasped, sniffed, and tried not to cry. She failed.

The First looked around satisfied. "Ah, well, looks like my work here is done, buddy." Jesse stepped forward, moving close up to Xander. Non-existent lips pressed themselves to Xander's and vanished. Xander was too shocked to do more than stare dumbly at the spot where the image of his friend had been.

Three words echoed the room in Jesse's voice. "Think of me."

-

Continued in Part 2

A review would be excellent. If you have a comment, good or bad, please tell me. The more reviews I get, the more I want to write. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers in part 1 

-

Xander could think of no reason why he had failed to tell Faith and Dawn that the First had managed to attack him physically. It wasn't that it simply hadn't come up: it was vital news; it should have been the first thing out of his mouth to someone the next day.

But he kept quiet.

The possibilities that the First had suggested had spooked him. Badly. What if he was the one who sold them all out? It seemed to be intimating that he would be working for it sooner or later.

'What did it mean when it said I had a long way to go?'

"Heya, X." Faith sat down next to him on the porch.

"Faith." Xander didn't look at her. "Does Wood know you're out here?"

"He doesn't own me." Faith snapped, then added, "Yeah, he does. Told me... asked me... to see what was bothering you."

He gave her a disbelieving glance. "You know what's bothering me."

Faith sounded intensely miserable at that moment. "Yeah." After several seconds of silence, she continued, "Am I gonna have to hold this conversation afloat?"

"Guess so."

"Funny." Faith's tone clearly said she found it anything but funny.

"I thought so."

There was silence for a few seconds, the two of them staring at nothing in particular, then Xander asked quietly, "How's Dawn?"

"Takin' it hard. She's never been too keen on B's choice of bed-buddies. Fine as friends, lousy as lovers, in her view."

"In mine, too. Although I wouldn't even say 'friend'."

"Yeah."

"Will she be OK?" Pure Xander: worried for others before and above himself. That was all there was to it.

"Guess so."

"Will you?"

"Ask me later." Faith looked at the sky for a moment. "Like when I've put down about a dozen bottles..."

"That's not the answer to anything, Faith, and besides, I was asking now."

Faith sighed. "Yeah, I guess I'll be alright. The big question, though, is you. Will you?"

"Be what?"

"All right."

"All right?"

"Yeah."

"Guess so." Xander shrugged.

"Oh, so now you're me?"

"No."

More silence. It was that uneasy sort of silence. Where it could go either way.

"How could the First do that?" Both knew what Faith's question was about. It wasn't hard. How could they have been so stupid as to not think of the possibility that the First Evil could influence the physical world? Whether it used a lot of power to do as such, or very little mattered not a jot: it could do it, and therefore it was a problem.

"Dunno."

"Do you have an idea?"

Faith stretched. "Yeah, I got an idea or two on the subject."

"Enlighten me."

"Right. It only showed the Wicked Witch of the West all veiny, right?"

"Yeah."

"So... it can take the appearance of dead people and those that have at some time welcomed it into... I dunno... their hearts?"

"You have a heart?" Xander's question was only half joking.

"Guess so, X." Faith's tone was half-heartedly teasing, but her eyes were not.

"And what do you mean by 'it'?" Xander frowned.

"You know... the darkness. If you were bad, you welcomed evil into your heart to do it. I know I did. Revelled in it." Faith sounded ashamed and horrified at the revelation. "I'm betting when Red went all veiny, she did too."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So... dead people, people that have died and been resuscitated, and those who are evil. Great. Who else?"

"Hopefully, stud, no one else..."

Xander slumped. "It was a shock, you know."

"What was?"

"Seeing two of you there... one trying to reform, and one revelling in the darkness. It was weird."

"How do you think I felt?"

"After you hit that wall? Probably nauseous." He smiled, but it was a sick and pathetic effort, a poor attempt at injecting some humour into the situation. Then he paused. "I still think you should go get checked out for a concussion."

"Ain't gonna happen, X. I'll be fine by tomorrow... and I don't wanna risk all the people that'll be in the hospital – there are still a few. Not many, but a few: the people who are still too ill to be moved. Bringers or Turok's'll try for me if I'm vulnerable."

"Good thinking." Neither Xander nor Faith could tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"Doesn't mean you have to like it, right?"

"Nope."

"So... yeah. The First. It got physical, did it?"

"Yeah."

"What'd it do?" Faith's tone was concerned. "I mean, if you wanna tell me."

"Punched me in the gut without moving."

"You OK?"

There was silence for a few seconds as Xander thought. Finally, he replied, "...Yeah."

"Must have done a number on you."

"It did."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"I'm not giving you a choice, here, X. Talk about it. Or I'll get Dawn Patrol to break out the puppy dog eyes."

"That's cheating."

"I know." The grin could be heard in the voice despite neither of them looking at the other.

There was silence for a little longer, and Faith spoke again. "Still don't want to talk about it?"

"Nope."

"Fine, be that way..." Faith turned slightly, and hollered into the house. "Dawn!"

Dawn appeared a few seconds later. "Yeah, F?"

"Don't do that, Baby B. She'll accuse me of corrupting you."

"And you haven't?"

Faith grinned. "No. Not yet, anyway. Give me some time, I'll get there eventually."

Dawn sat down between Xander and Faith, making both of them shuffle away to the sides a bit more to give her more room. "You wanted something?"

"Yeah, Baby B. Break out the puppy dog eyes on X over there."

"Don't, Dawn." Xander's voice was tired. "Y'know, Faith, I never thought you'd actually live up to the threat. You want me to tell you, fine. It'll be less painful for... well, me." He sighed. "I should have never taught you the 'eyes' Dawn."

Dawn leaned in to Xander, giving him the full effect of the 'eyes'. "Oh, but I'm so glad you did..."

Faith snickered at Xander's discomfort.

"The First..." Xander started, then stopped, unsure.

"Yeah?" Dawn and Faith spoke at the same time.

"...it... kinda hinted that I would be helping it. I dunno. Like I'd do something that aided it. Or that it corrupted me. Or something. I dunno." He sighed again. "I just don't know..."

"Hey, X..." Faith reached across to slug him gently in the shoulder. "That thing messes with all our heads. Don't let it get to you. Seriously. You helped me when it had me in its sights... I'm gonna help you."

"Yeah, Xand." Dawn agreed, "Don't let it get to you."

"It's not that simple." Xander sighed. "What if..."

"What if you get run over by a car? What if you got Turned by some nameless vamp on a routine patrol?" Faith snapped. She was now on her feet, looming over the still seated Xander with her hands on her hips. "If you live by 'what ifs' you'll never live. Everyone has some doubt in them. It's natural!"

Dawn hugged Xander. "Yeah. What F said."

Faith put her head in her hands and she sunk to her knees on the pathway. "Oh, jeez... look at me... now I'm the one being the voice of reason! What'll happen next? I get a cheque in the mail 'cause I won the lottery?"

Xander and Dawn both seemed to find this incredibly funny. Minutes later, with Faith scowling at them, they were still laughing.

Then Faith joined in too. Soon, all three were clutching their sides because they ached from the almost manic laughing.

The human spirit is an incredible thing.

-

Continued in Part 3

The next part is quite a bit longer than this one. Oh, and a review would be great. :-)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimers in part 1

Authors Notes: I'd like to thank Brutal2003, Dreamlight, Morrolan, holyknight, Puppet in the Corner, Nova, Plotmaster and Honor for reviewing:-)

Brutal2003, Xander isn't going to help the First willingly, if he has anything to say about it - indeed, he will fight with all his ability to stop whatever the First has planned. Unfortunately, the First in this fic isn't the useless waste in the show, and is rather good at twisting things to its own ends. :) More would, unfortunately, spoil the fic. :)

For those of you who are anxious for it to get to Spira, that will be in chapter 5. Hope that's soon enough. :)

I apologise in advance for the B/S in this part. Rest assured that it is necessary for the plot, and that Spike will get what he deserves. :)

-

The next morning, Buffy rolled over in bed, and ran her hands across the chest she had been cuddled next to. "Spike?"

Spike yawned widely, and opened his eyes, "Yeah, ducks?"

"Do you think we're gonna win? Against the First I mean?" Buffy's anxiety was bleeding freely into the air now, Spike could almost taste it. It was close enough to fear to be arousing to the demon in him.

"Sure!" Spike hugged her closer, and Buffy relaxed into his embrace. "No sweat. We'll beat it, and then we'll take a nice long holiday somewhere, yeah?"

"Like where?" Buffy asked with a quirky smile.

"Oh, I don't know... somewhere nice..." Spike rolled her under him, and kissed her with a violent passion.

"How about Florida?" Buffy asked, and giggled when she got the response she expected.

Spike froze in place. "Florida! Are you insane! I'd be a crisp critter in seconds in Florida!"

Buffy pulled him down, sucking on his mouth and biting his lip, not quite to the point of drawing blood. "I was kidding."

Spike breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."

There was no more speaking for quite a while.

-

Spike lay with Buffy snuggled up to the crook of his arm. He looked up when there was suddenly a third body in the room, ethereal though it was.

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to see how you were getting on. That isn't against your little rules, is it?" The First asked snidely, "Remember your part of the bargain."

Spike vamped out, and grinned. "Oh, how could I forget? Be still, my beating heart... whoops... I forgot: it doesn't beat, does it? Can't have everything."

The First regarded him coolly. "Do not try to be funny, William the Bloody. It does not suit you. Angelus could be amusingly sarcastic: you do not have the knack."

Spike would have bolted off the bed if not for the sleeping form of Buffy. As it was, his tone was deadly, "Do not mention that poof around me. I'm nothing like him. Nothing!"

The First nodded. "You're absolutely right, Spike." The First Evil paused, allowing Spike to grin at the compliment, before adding, "Angelus had class." Spike's face became enraged at the insult.

"Do you want my bloody 'elp or not?" Spike demanded.

"Easy, cowboy," the First smirked, "I want your help."

"And when all this is over, you'll keep your side of the bargain?"

The First nodded, mentally crossing its fingers. "Of course: you will have Buffy for eternity. And any other women you want. Cecily, Buffy... Drusilla..." the First morphed into a likeness of Drusilla, completely naked. Spike drooled. "...any woman you want."

"And all you wanted was me to put some cracks in the relationship between ducks and the rest of her little helpers?"

"Indeed. It is particularly important that she condemns the one she most cares for." The First ran an ethereal hand down Buffy's naked leg, and watched Buffy shiver with the sensation of cold it left. "You are sure she won't wake up to hear any of this?"

Spike shook his head. "She won't wake up. I fed off her during..." Spike trailed off.

"Why, Spikey? Are you bashful? After all we've done together?" Drusilla's voice was teasing. The Firsts normal voice then asked, "How much did you take?"

Spike shrugged. "Couple of pints? I don't know. Never was too good at estimating that sort of thing. She won't be waking up before morning. She'll probably be sluggish when she gets moving, but Slayer healing will soon take care of any residual anaemia."

"Why, Spikey," Dru giggled again, "I didn't know you could use such big words!"

"Will anyone be able to tell that you fed off her? The carpenter, for example?"

Spike grinned. "Not unless she lets more than me know her in the Biblical sense..."

The First nodded once, and vanished.

-

The First's plan was more devious that Spike could ever comprehend. It knew what Spike wanted, and was playing him like a fiddle to reach its own ends. Quite simply, it wanted Xander.

And it set about to make sure it could have Xander.

Every night for a week, the three Slaying teams that patrolled encountered different situations. Buffy's team was ambushed so frequently it left her head spinning and her forces demoralised – going out on patrol with Buffy, the previous nights seemed to say, and it was almost certain you would be injured or killed.

Buffy putting them down every chance she got when they survived failed to help matters, as well. She would run to aid Spike if he was injured, which was quite frequent, and leave the Slayers in Training to lose their own battles with creatures stronger and faster than they were.

No one fights well with a general that gets them killed and then blames it on their own stupidity and lack of trying. And no one deliberately tries to get themselves or others killed by having themselves ripped apart by Neanderthal vampires.

Faith's team was ambushed with that same frequency, but Faith had the sense not to berate her troops with things they had no control over.

Willow's group, when it ventured out, never encountered a single vampire. Willow seemed to think that the vampires were frightened of her magical abilities, and that was what was keeping them away – however, Xander had another theory. The First knew that he went with Willow when she patrolled, despite her objections, and that the First didn't seem to want him hurt.

It did more than merely concern or frighten him – it terrified him.

Whatever the First Evil was up to, it was going to mean a lot of pain.

Then an anonymous tip came, alerting Buffy to the location of Caleb's lair.

And it all went wrong.

-

They crept through the entrance to the vineyard. Well, when the word 'crept' is used, it's for dramatic effect. It was more like a forced march back in the days of the Roman Legions, but without the discipline.

Or the armour.

Or the weapons.

So it really didn't have much to do with 'creeping', or with the Roman legions, but after all, it's the thought that counts, right? Buffy was in the lead, with Spike. Setting a pace that only a Slayer could maintain without keeling over from lack of oxygen. Spike didn't have any trouble keeping up, but then, he didn't need to breathe, did he? Faith followed, shooting daggers in Spikes' back, with Xander walking quickly – almost a trot – to keep up. He still wore the frown which had been on his face for several days since the First's first visit to him. He'd had the pleasure of several others in the mean-time, and something told him tonight was going to go wrong.

The fact that all the Slayers in Training were panting and out of breath before they even started fighting was a good reason to have forebodings, but his were for a different reason.

This 'plan' sucked.

The First was right. Xander didn't particularly want to admit it, but it was right. A dead hedgehog could have come up with a better plan. That snivelling weasel Willy could have come up with a better plan. Most likely something along the lines of, "Run away!"

And despite their – or rather everyone but Buffy and Spike's – forebodings, they went anyway.

Buffy reached what had been mutually agreed upon as the 'front door' and stopped. "OK, I want a perimeter set up. Xander, guard the door. I don't want anything getting in behind us. My team'll go in first: check the place out, see where everything is lying. You're our safety net. If this is a trap, one of us gives the signal and you come in like the US Marshals."

Xander couldn't resist asking, "How's that, Buff?"

Buffy shot him a glare. "All guns a-blazin'!"

Xander nodded. "And what's the signal?"

Buffy looked momentarily nonplussed. "Signal. Yeah, right, signal... I was thinking lots of shouting, maybe a couple of screams for good measure."

"Got it. Shouting and screaming; check." Xander nodded again.

Buffy turned to Spike. "Shall we?"

Spike nodded, and his eyes shone with glee as he thought about a fight. "We shall."

Buffy nodded once. "SiT's? Let's go." Kennedy, Molly, Rona and Chao-Ahn followed her in terrified silence. Faith looked at their backs as they descended the stairs and muttered to herself, "She's gonna get them killed..."

-

"What is this place?" Molly looked around, her voice only just above a whisper.

Buffy, however, wasn't going to go for stealth. Nossir. Stealth was for those who were too chicken to fight properly: to stand up and declare in a loud voice, 'here I am, come get me'... in other words, those who were sensible. Her voice was flat. And loud. "It's a vineyard."

Kennedy, the current object of Willow's rebound affection, spoke. "An evil vineyard?"

Spike began to move into the centre of the room. "Yeah... you know, like Falcon Crest."

Buffy caught up with Spike, leaving the unsure Slayers in Training stranded alone. "Stay alert. I know Bringers are here somewhere... just have to find out where exactly."

Spike eyed the shapes that suddenly loomed out of the shadows at the edges of the large and badly lit room. "I wouldn't say that would be too hard, luv. There're here!" As the disfigured features of the Bringers became visible, Spike charged them.

A strong voice echoed out from the darkness, and the Bringers retreated. "Hold!"

He stepped forward. "Well, now, you girls are just burning with righteousness, aren't you? The big problem is, you see, that you think you're blazing like suns, when really you're burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness. It's all around you, in front, behind, above, below... to the sides, too. You can't escape it. It's inside you all too. No matter how far you run, you won't escape. Now, I hope my boys haven't worn you out too much - I need you fit for when I purify your unclean bodies. Minds. Your souls. "

"Save the sermon, street-preacher," Buffy snarled, "I heard you have something of mine. I want it."

Caleb smirked. "'You want it,' do you? Truly the words of a shameless whore. The question is; what are you prepared to do to retrieve it?" He walked forward slowly, his eyes fixed on Buffy's as he moved. "Did you like my message to you? Took me so long to decide exactly how I should wrap it for you. Ruined a perfectly good knife, too... oh, the humanity! I may have to get a new truck." Suddenly seeming to remember that Buffy had spoken at all, he continued, "I do indeed have something of yours, my pretty little whore of a Slayer. Yes, that's right; I know you are the Slayer. Funny, I thought you'd be taller, or something. And haven't you heard? Brunette's the new blonde. You're the fastest. You're the strongest. The one with the most indoctrination into believing that mankind can do no wrong. That if you have a soul, you're all innocent and pure. The Slayer must be powerful indeed."

Caleb was so close to Buffy she could feel his breath on her face. Then he punched her.

It was like having a demolition ball hit you in the chest. Buffy flew across the room and smashed into a stack of barrels, shattering them. The wine inside them spilled on the floor, bringing the overpowering smell of grapes and alcohol into the enclosed room. "Such a misguided little whore..." Caleb mused, "What else have you got?"

Spike growled, and vamped out. "Me!"

He joined Buffy in swimming in broken barrels and wine as Caleb smashed him full in the face.

Then the Slayers in Training charged, yelling at the tops of their voices.

-

Continued in Part 4 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers in part 1

Thanks to Anime-Ronin, Lochar, Morrolan, Darklight and Brutal2003 for reviewing.

Lochar: Have no fear, Spike will be dusted.

Dreamlight: Sorry that it's taking to long to get to the FFX bits - I tried something new; rather than dropping the character in the crossover world as fast as possible, I set out to have a decent amount of buildup first. When I cross two universes, I make the 'crossover' not exist in the 'real' world, unless it's a Halloween fic (in which event, I don't have much choice. ;-) So the Scoobies will never have played FFX, because it doesn't exist as a game. I'm hoping to make this as original a take on FFX that I can - which is going to revolve around 'filling in the blanks' rather than rewriting FFX with Xander in the place of one of the main characters (something I've sworn to avoid doing ever) Glad you are enjoying this, though. Thank you. :-)

Brutal: I'm not exactly a Spike fan, either. He was cool as the 'Big Bad' but less than worthless, IMO, once Season 2 ended.

-

The fight was not going well, for the side of goodness. Buffy was almost senseless, barely managing to stand without aid, and Spike wasn't much better. All his vampiric healing seemed to be concentrating on setting his broken nose. The Slayers in Training, however much Buffy maligned them during training, were not holding out too badly against the Bringers that had engaged them.

When Caleb entered the fray – apparently getting bored of watching others have all the fun – the fight turned the other way.

Kennedy, too focussed on her fight with a Bringer, completely missed the blow that sent her flying across the room and into a rather solid wall.

"Kennedy!" Rona disengaged from the Bringer she was fighting, and headed toward the dazed girl. "Look out!"

Caleb grabbed her arm as she went past. "Oh, I think you should pay attention to your own advice, girl! You have your own problems to worry about." Rona tried to twist out of his grip, but it was like a vice.

"Let GO of me!" Rona screamed in frustration, fighting all she could. Caleb smirked and twisted, Rona's now injured scream almost covering the sound of bones snapping. He flung her, via the broken arm, into the unsteadily rising forms of Buffy and Spike. Spike luckily dodged, but Buffy wasn't quite so fortunate. The flying form of Rona caught her full in the chest, and took her down, her head landing on the flagstones with a loud crack.

A nearby Bringer seemed to sense an advantage, and raised a knife to plunge into the unconscious form of Rona sprawled on top of the alpha Slayer.

It was to be disappointed.

Coming from out of nowhere, a crossbow bolt impacted in its face, almost somersaulting it over with the force of the blow.

Looking to where the bolt came from, Caleb smiled. Xander and Faith stood there, Xander with crossbow in hand. He deadpanned, "Hi honey, I'm home," as Faith charged in. Xander threw the now useless crossbow at a charging Bringer, and dove in after her. "Y'know, we should have tried those explosive bolts!"

Caleb watched impassively. "There are more of you." His face split in a grin, "How enjoyable." Blocking Faith's first strike, he cuffed her round the head before kicking her down.

Having dealt with the only Bringer within range, Xander looked about. "Buffy!" Running to her side, he lifted Rona off her gently and put her down. He slapped her face gently, trying to walk her up.

He succeeded.

"Uh... Spike...?" Buffy's voice was groggy. But then, seeing that she'd been given a not inconsiderable concussion, it wasn't to be unexpected. Her vision cleared, and it wasn't Spike holding her. "...Xander?"

"Yeah Buff. You OK?"

Buffy say up. "Where's Spike?"

Spike slugged a Bringer in the face, and then kicked another in the groin before elbowing the now curling up Bringer in the back of the head. It went down hard and didn't move further. "I'm right here, ducks." His voice was stressed, but had the undercurrent of lust in it that a fight always brought out. "Hey, Droops... stop fannying around and give us some 'elp 'ere!"

Buffy leapt to her feet and rejoined the fray, leaving Xander kneeling next to Rona. He checked her over, before moving back into the fight himself.

While this was occurring, Faith was trying to hold her own against Caleb.

To be fair, she wasn't doing too badly. Of course, the fact that he shrugged off her best blows as if they were nothing more than a gnat bite probably had something to do with the fact that she was losing.

Not quickly, but slowly and surely losing.

The other problem was that she had to keep avoiding his strikes: getting hit by a punch with roughly the power of a pile-driver would really put a crimp in her day.

"You're the other one, aren't you? The Chosen... Two. One light; one Dark. The Cain to her Abel," He parried a knife thrust, and twisted her wrist causing Faith to let go of the blade. "No offence to Cain, of course." Manoeuvring Faith into an arm lock, Caleb smirked down at her. "So easy, is it not, little whore?" Faith snarled and kneed Caleb in the crotch, tearing her arms free of the hold as he loosened his grip in pain.

Faith was breathing hard, but still found breath to growl, "Never was much for the good book." Moving to strike him across the face, Caleb grasped her wrist and wrenched it behind her viciously.

Forcing Faith to her knees, Caleb sneered at her. "Oh, it has its moments. Paul had some good stuff. Genesis was... odd. Heroes become Demons... 'the Nephilim were on the earth. They were the heroes, the men of renown.' Chapter six, verse four. Odd that later they became rampaging, raping giants bent only on the destruction of men."

"I'm supposed to care?" Faith choked out. Caleb's hold was not comfortable.

"Of course you're not, whore." Caleb replied smoothly, "Some of Revelations was appropriately... prophetic. The ramblings of a madman on his deathbed, but there is rarely anything without some grain of truth in it somewhere..."

"I'm happy for you. Really I am," Faith gasped the words out, half sneer and half torture. Caleb pushed her forward violently, nearly wrenching her shoulder from its socket, and walked round her, tutting in disappointment.

"But then, I like to keep things simple." Pulling back a foot he blasted Faith hard in the ribs, lifting her off the floor and across the room. "Good folk." Caleb dodged a sword slash from Chao-Ahn, one of the potentials, and twisted it out of her hand, "bad folk," reversing the blade, he thrust it through her belly, before grasping her by the neck, "clean folk... dirty folk..." With a squeeze and a twist, the life left Chao-Ahn's eyes as her neck broke.

Seeing the death of another one of her sister potentials, Molly charged, heedless of the danger. "Nooo!"

Caleb stopped his pacing and turned to the charging girl. He leered at her. "Yes!"

Buffy turned from her fight against three Bringers, leaving Spike to finish them off. She headed for the doorway – the one exit from what had become a graveyard, "Xander! We have to get them out of here! We've got to retreat!"

At Xander's disbelieving look, she scowled. "Do it!" He had not been arguing with her, it was more pure astonishment that she accepted that this was not going to go the way she wanted.

Molly's charge was brought to an abrupt halt as two Bringers barrelled into her, pinning her in place. Even struggling as she was, the Bringers waited impassively for Caleb to approach.

"My dear misguided little harlot... what you fail to take into consideration is that everything has its appointed time. And your appointed time..." He paused, seeming to savour the moment, "...is now."

One of the Bringers gripped Molly's hair and yanked her head back, while the other plunged a knife into her throat. As Caleb turned to the rest of the room, the Bringers released her, letting her collapse to the floor, blood flowing out from the knife wound even as she clawed at it pathetically. The room seemed to have suddenly frozen, each person there watching the Preacher. "What can I say? I work in mysterious ways... they also happen to be fairly straightforward."

Buffy, one foot on the bottom step out of the cellar, let out a roar and charged Caleb. The anger behind her blows was powerful enough to stagger him, and one neat spin kick later, he was mimicking what he had been putting them all through: flying across the room.

It didn't look too easy, though.

More sort of... painful.

Spike threw one of the Bringers fighting him into the others, and grabbed Buffy's arm. She was standing there, panting hard with anger and exertion. "Come on, we're leaving!" He pulled her away.

Amanda rushed over to the unconscious form of Rona, dropping her sword and calling, "Need some help here!"

Buffy looked at Rona's body. "She's dead." She turned away.

Spike walked up to Amanda and Rona, and picked up the unconscious girl. "No she's not, pet..." He headed back for the exit, Rona's senseless form in his arms.

Xander turned as Faith stood up next to him. "What about Kennedy?"

Faith turned to look. "She's there!"

Xander and Faith ran over to the unconscious Kennedy, Faith lifting her easily and running for the exit.

Xander got caught by Caleb.

"Ah, ah, ah! Where do you think you're going? You've cost me my fun!"

Xander kicked at the hand round his ankle. "Let go of me, preacher man!"

Standing, Caleb looked at the horrified stares of the remaining combatants clustered round the exit, and then back to Xander. "You're the one who sees everything, aren't you?"

Xander could only watch the hand as it reared back. Caleb smiled. "Let's see what can be done about that, then."

His hand was poised, ready to gouge out Xander's eye. A voice halted the proceedings.

"Caleb! Stop!"

The First Evil stepped out of the shadows and regarded the tableau.

It was dressed as Buffy. Turning to regard Caleb, it became the image of a woman none of the Scoobies had seen before. It was obviously one that Caleb knew, however, with the way he suddenly went poker faced. "I thought I told you never to use that form!"

The First looked itself over, "What, little ol' me?" The voice had a heavy Southern twang, laced with sugar and honey.

Caleb didn't answer. Buffy, Faith, Spike, Kennedy and Amanda were frozen to the spot, watching the scene in fascinated horror.

"I thought I told you, that this one," the First gestured at Xander, "was to be left alone!"

When Caleb replied, he sounded like a pouty child. "He spoiled my fun, so..."

"And is that ANY REASON TO SPOIL...!" The First cut off its roar of rage and looked at the Scoobies speculatively. "They don't need to know my plans... and neither do you, Caleb. All that matters is the one who sees..."

The First became Jesse's image again, and turned to Xander, who was still held fast by Caleb. "You shall become my Avatar in another time, my beautiful White Knight..." Jesse's voice was a whisper in Xander's ear. His eyes widened.

Buffy snarled. "We found our traitor!" She advanced, but was blocked by a wave of Bringers. They were not set on fighting her, merely stopping her from getting any closer. "How could you? You piece of..."

The look of hatred in her eyes made Xander want to curl up into a ball and cry. "No. No, I'm not a traitor! It's playing you! It's playing your own fears against you!" He struggled in Caleb's grip, and broke free, only to be caught by the same wave of Bringers that Buffy was caught in.

As he got nearer, she lunged at him, "Traitor!"

Spike moved forward, and pulled her back from the throng of Bringers, who stayed where they were. "Droopy, if I ever see you again, you're dead meat!"

Faith was just standing there, shaking her head. No, Xander wasn't the traitor. With the abilities of the First, either no one was a traitor, or all of them were. Anyone who allowed themselves to be played by the First was its spy. Either that or anyone the First played was a spy. So Buffy and Willow and Angel and Spike were the spy's, because the First could be them. She moved her mouth, drawing breath to speak, but the First spoke first.

"Yes, isn't that delicious, my lovely little Slayer? The one among you that you trusted the most is the one to cause your defeat. A work of art, I think you would agree..."

Xander moved his mouth silently, but the First had just dug him his grave. If he did survive this – seeing that he was trapped on the wrong side of a hell of a lot of Harbingers – Buffy and Spike would see him spitted and roast like a pig. That was the nice way to go, too... he was sure Buffy could talk Willow into cursing his soul for all eternity or something like that: or better yet, let Spike vamp him, then curse his soul back.

Xander collapsed into the Bringers, who dragged him back to the First.

Buffy sneered at him. "Let him stay with his master, then. We're out of here!" She turned and headed up the stairs, Spike and the potentials on her heels.

Faith looked at Xander for a long moment, flicked a look to the Bringers as if debating her chances, then turned and followed.

-

Xander was now chained to the wall, Caleb staring at him moodily – almost as if he resented Xander's presence. Bringers were watching from the shadows, ready to do their masters bidding at a moments notice. The First itself, however, was standing inches from Xander's face, still in the form of Jesse.

"Your friends disappoint me, Xander. I would have thought they would have tried to rescue you, rather than condemn you to – for all they know – death."

Xander remained stubbornly silent; his eyes locked with the Firsts ethereal ones in defiance.

"Still, I cannot help but to admit that it makes things a lot easier for me. I need you. I need you for the future... because I have seen more than this pathetic time here. Long after your precious Buffy is dead – long after the Slayer line has been extinguished from the planet – I will still be. I'll still be here... wreaking havoc and generally making life a misery for all the 'good' people of the world. Of course, there will be a whole lot less once you've got through with killing them all..."

Xander looked away.

The First leaned closer, so close that Xander could feel the chills of its nonexistent lips moving on his cheek as it spoke. "Yes, you do my bidding in the future... it's so delicious... the backbone of my most stubborn opponents, and you work for me! I love it!" The First chuckled, before pulling away.

"There is no way..." Xander growled out, "that I will ever fight on your side!"

The First leaned closer again. "You're so sure? You certainly sound it! But trust me, at the moment of your greatest triumph... that will be the time when you sell me your soul."

"No. Never!"

"Never say never, my brother," First-as-Jesse said loudly. "I would have myself said that there was no way I could have died. Sunnydale was, after all, a sleepy backend nowhere two hours drive from LA. Then that blonde bitch arrives, and turned everything on its head. Oh, but maybe I shouldn't be giving you a rehash of everything you've already been through? Maybe I should let sleeping dogs lie, seeing that you've lived through it already. Or maybe I should give you another angle to the story."

The First snapped its fingers, more for the look of the thing than for any real necessity. Even when you didn't actually exist, there were certain standards to maintain if you were the Evil.

Xander jerked as images flooded his mind in a rush.

Every muscle tensed, until the First honestly wondered if he was having some sort of seizure. Then they went slack, and Xander fell panting against the shackles holding him to the wall.

Bending down slightly, to look into Xander's half closed eyes, the First-as-Jesse smiled disarmingly at him, "Y'see how it could have been if things had gone differently? Well, that was pretty much my favourite one. There are others... even better than that, but that will always be my favourite."

Xander winced as he shook his head to clear the mental cobwebs out.

The First continued, "I guess y'wanna know why it's my favourite? It's not 'cause everyone dies; no! It's because it's such a beautiful way for it to go. I mean, you don't stake me... even if it was an accident you pathetic shit. I turn Willow... and let me tell you, a vampire witch? Hot stuff... hot stuff! Damn, she could suck the varnish off a table! It's like sticking your cock in a Hoover, man..."

"SHUT UP!" Xander pulled against his chains, hard enough to cut into his wrists. He ignored the sting as the rust from the shackles were ground into the cuts they made. "Don't you DARE talk about Willow like that!"

The First slapped him. "Remember your manners, boy! I can hurt you if I want... and believe me, I want. I showed you I can hit you, so behave! But the best thing? The best thing is your little blonde friend gets turned by the Master... I've never seen a Slayer that was a vampire before... and it was cool. Ripped her Watcher apart... even I was sickened by that little display, trust me. Didn't last too long, though: y'see, Slayer spirit and vampire demon don't mix too well, I guess – even though they are both formed from the Dark – they were constantly fighting in her body, and well, it kinda ate itself up slowly. After a couple of years, she was this pile of goop on the floor, and after that? Not a pleasant way to go, I think. And then? Then came the crowning glory; you, you little son-of-a-bitch..."

"I know what happened." Xander snapped, continuing to strain against his bonds. "You did thrust twenty years of memories into my head in a few seconds!"

The First walked backwards sedately, walking through the debris littered on the floor rather than falling over it. "Oh? You're so knowledgeable; you want to tell me what happens, then?"

Xander bit his lips, and didn't reply.

"You don't want to, do you? You see? That's the sort of attitude that makes me want to hurt you, boy. That 'holier than thou' stare, that arrogant..." The First stopped.

Xander enunciated each word carefully, putting maximum feeling behind each syllable. "Fuck. You."

The First sighed dramatically. "Ah, well, it seems that the glimpse I gave you of a possible past didn't stir you up enough. Well, that's just the way the cookie crumbles, sometimes. Guess I'd better do something else..."

Gripping Xander's head on both sides, forcing his eyes open with its thumbs, the First grinned, now in the form of Willow. "I did love you, you know..." First-as-Willow said wistfully, "if only you'd had the guts to keep going when Oz and Cordelia found us, rather than running after her... lost opportunities, lover."

The memories that the First had implanted were removed even more painfully than they had been put in, and the First let go. "Now, the question is, should I give you back to your little friends... or should I do something else?" The First tapped a finger to its lips, overacting. "I think I'll do something else to you: you're too fun to leave at the minute."

Xander looked up blearily from the pain of having his mind messed with, and saw Spike standing there, sneering down at him.

Again, he fought against the shackles holding him. "You son-of-a-bitch! I'll get you for what you did to Buffy! I'll get you I'll get you I'll GET YOU..."

First-as-Spike merely laughed. "Ah, droops... you're too much fun. I coulda had fun with you, y'know. If Dru hadn't gone an' got 'er knickers in a bunch about ya an' all..."

Then First-as-Buffy was standing there, bruised and beaten, just the way that Xander had found her in that bathroom after Spike had had his fun with her.

-

From about half way through the next chapter, don't expect an awful lot of Buffyverse for quite a while. :)

Reviewing would be great - it would feed the muse, which would result in more fic. 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimers in Part 1.

First Note: Back from holidays. More fic coming. Part 18 of Sunnydale Jedi next, anyone?

The Final Fantasy X cross really begins here. From here on out, there will be short looks at the Buffyverse to see what's going on, but most of the time and text is going to focus on Xander and his experiences in a world he doesn't have a clue about. Please be aware that this is set during Braska's Pilgrimage, so I'm toying with it a bit: assume that the Guado are Yevonites, but that the Ronso are still resistant to the idea. And if you don't have a clue what either of those are, then it'll be revealed in the fic when appropriate.

I have been listening to entirely too much Dire Straits recently. I'd like to recommend their live album 'aLCHEMY'... it's very good.

-

The Slayer Army returned to Buffy's home silently, apart from the whimpers and moans of the injured Slayers in Training. Not one of them had come out of the fight without some sort of injury – if Turok'han happened across them now, there would be very little resistance to them. Faith favoured one leg, and cradled the opposite arm with the other while simultaneously trying to carry Kennedy, which was quite an achievement. Little whimpers were voiced by Kennedy each time Faith took a step. Buffy marched at the head imperiously, with Spike beside her and Rona over his shoulder, still unconscious.

Dawn saw them limping down the street out of the front window, and rushed out to help them with a few of the Slayers in Training who hadn't gone on the mission. Willow watched from the doorway, a dark silhouette against the light from the hall.

Dawn reached Faith, ignoring Buffy and Spike, and helped her get Kennedy down without hurting either of them further, "Oh my God, what happened!"

Faith knelt next to the unconscious Kennedy, "Don't ask." She put a finger to the girls' neck and felt a pulse, "She'll be OK. Just took a bit of a knock... hey, Red!"

Willow jogged over to where Faith was uncertainly. Faith scowled and addressed Dawn and Willow quietly enough so that Buffy and Spike, who were now in the house, couldn't hear her, "No matter what Buffy or Spike say about Xander, I think it's the First playing them. But..."

"Xander?" Dawn looked round, "where is he?"

Faith looked like she might throw up any second, "That's what I'm tryin' to tell you, Baby B... the First... has him. We lost so many: Chao-Ann, Molly... and Xander was caught by Caleb. Then the First shows up and starts mouthing off about how Xand's gonna be his 'Avatar'..."

"It... wha?" Willow's higher functions seemed to have shut down, "He's helped the First?"

Both Dawn and Faith shot Willow glares that would have melted steel. Dawn looked at Faith slowly, "He did say that the First was going on about that..."

"Yeah," Faith sighed. "Well, there's going to be nothing we can say that will persuade Her Royal Bitchiness or Dusty otherwise. I don't fancy leaving all these girls to the tender mercies of B and her pet stake-o-matic, so we just gotta keep our heads down and make sure that nothing worse happens."

Dawn nodded.

Willow was still staring into space, "I can't believe Xander would help the First..."

"He didn't Red!" Faith snapped, seriously tempted to try slapping some sense into the Wicca, "The First keeps visiting him, playing with his head just like he does with yours, and mine, and Dawn's... Hell, the fuckin' thing used this chance to start breaking up the only people who are fighting it!"

Willow looked down at the still unconscious Kennedy, "We'd better get her inside. Take her to my room."

"Gonna make her your love sl..." Dawn began, but was cut off as Faith's hand closed over her mouth.

"Dawn!"

Dawn looked sheepish, but helped Faith pick Kennedy up and carry her inside. Willow followed after several long moments of staring down the road in the direction of Buffy's vineyard.

-

The First had not left Xander alone since he was chained to the wall. This was for two reasons; the first was that it was simply too enjoyable to torment the man with insinuations of this, that and the other, or with the past itself. His reaction to seeing Angelus had been surprising, since it had been less violent than his reaction to Angel or Spike. The second reason was also quite simple: Caleb was dangerous to the Firsts' plans now. The preacher insisted on staying in the room, and as with all its servants, the First knew what he was thinking. Caleb was waiting for a chance to kill the One Who Sees.

And the First could not allow that.

Alexander Harris had a pivotal role to play in another world: a world where the First was not only corporeal, it had made a mark on the hearts, minds and souls of those it preyed upon – and its methods were particularly delicious.

The First was preparing to send him there. And Caleb, whether he knew it or not, would be helping.

And then... then came the piece de resistance.

"Caleb," The Firsts' voice was flat and angry, it wore a neutral form, unknown to either Xander or Caleb, "Come here."

Caleb stepped forward, and the First turned into the woman that he had known. She ran a hand down his arm, and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "Get the altar ready for the sacrifice."

Caleb nodded, and moved toward a stone upthrust in the floor. The First had begun the preparations as soon as Buffy's Slayer army had left – now, all that was required was the relevant sacrifice.

The first Bringer lay on the stone, and Caleb plunged a knife into its chest and begun the messy process of removing its heart. He was obviously not a professional at things like that, as it took him longer than the First would have anticipated, with far too much blood sprayed about. Caleb looked round at the First after he pushed the now long dead Harbinger off. He looked like he had been bathing in blood. Xander closed his eyes, fighting his gag reflex to stop from vomiting at the sickly sweet smell that pervaded the room.

"Next the brain," the First ordered imperiously.

A second bringer lay on the altar now, and Caleb grunted as he drove the knife into its skull with a sickening cracking of bone.

"Careful!" the First snapped, "it must be as undamaged as possible!"

Caleb turned, "You said it had to be done with this blade, or it wouldn't work; it's damned near impossible to get through bone with this!" He waved the knife in the air, and Xander couldn't help but be reminded of Jack O'Toole so long ago. "Let me cut him up, please!"

The First drifted forward, getting dangerously close to Caleb, its voice was quiet and deadly when it replied, "No."

"Hey, Caleb," Xander's voice broke the impasse between the First and its servant, "you wouldn't happen to be related to Jack, would ya?"

The First shot Xander a confused look, but covered it up quickly. Caleb growled.

Xander continued his taunt, his head down so he couldn't see the room, "'Cause you got the routine down pat. 'Lemme cut him up...' Jeez... some originality, please."

Caleb opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by the First as it morphed into Jesse, "Ah, I see what you are trying to do, Bro! You want me to let you off the hook by having ol' Cal here kill ya. Sorry to tell you, Bro, but that ain't gonna happen. You are going where I send you: you haven't got a choice in that."

Xander winced as Caleb returned to what he had been doing. The First still faced him, watching with a smile on Jesse's face.

After two more Harbingers died under Caleb's blade, it seemed to grow bored. "This is taking too long," it snapped.

"Doesn't look like Caleb can go any faster," Xander muttered, disgusted, "he's getting off on it too much."

The First snapped its fingers, and the Bringers converged in a circle around Caleb. "You are moving too slowly, love," it drawled as the woman only Caleb knew, "if you can't speed it up any more, I will be... oh, why not?"

The Bringers jerked and the First watched in satisfaction as small streams of coloured lights flowed from them. It reached back toward Xander, and gripped his hair, forcing one eye open with its thumb. "You will watch this, for it is a beautiful sight. It is a sight you will soon get to know – the colour of Death."

Xander grunted, and tried to turn his head away, but he was held rigid by more than just the Firsts hand.

"Life ends and Death is the result. Life strives to survive, and Death is the result. From Death, I am reborn in every age – unending... unkillable." The First smiled as Caleb looked over with a terrified look on his face. The swirls of colour grew in number, whirling round the altar faster and faster until the vortex lit the whole room. They zipped through Caleb as he stood, trapped, in the middle of the rapidly dying Harbingers. They swirled around the First and around Xander, blinding him.

"You have given your soul to me, Caleb, and for that I gave you power. Your time is at an end, however; a new age is beginning! Servant, I call for one last act of service from you..."

"Yes?"

The First smiled, "Give the Slayer her weapon. She will do the rest all on her own."

Caleb gasped as the First dissolved into the lights, which changed direction and begun to eddy around Xander. They got closer and closer, and Xander screamed as he was engulfed in them.

The Firsts' voice echoed around the cellar, even over Xander's screams. "Make sure not to make it too easy on her, my servant. Not that I think she would get suspicious; she fell for this did she not?"

When the lightshow died, Caleb was left staring at the empty shackles and the bare wall.

Then the seemingly dead Bringers, animated by their service to their unholy mistress, rose once more.

-

Two hours before dawn, the Temple in Bevelle was close to deserted. Two figures were walking down the Highbridge, with a third walking backwards a few paces in front of them, with a recording sphere held up as he panned it around, taking everything in. As it fell on the two men, one of them scowled at the recorder.

"What are you taking?" Auron had been one of the Warrior Monks at the Great Temple in Bevelle, until choosing to become a Guardian for Braska, a Summoner just beginning his Pilgrimage. Well, perhaps, 'choosing' wasn't quite the right word - he had become a Guardian to avoid the retribution of his ex-prospective-Father-in-law, who was a little miffed that one of his Warrior Monks had turned his daughter down. His voice was wary, with a rigidly serious undertone - but lacking the gruffness that it was acquire in the future.

Jecht, the man holding the recording sphere, looked at Auron with a scathing grimace. "Well, you said it was gonna be a long trip." He chuckled, "We'll be seeing a lot of neat things, right? So I thought I'd record it all in this. To show to my wife and kid, you know."

"This is no pleasure cruise!" Auron snapped, plainly aggravated, "This is a Pilgrimage to stop Sin!"

Jecht ignored Auron, like he had never heard the rebuke, "Hey, Braska. Ain't this supposed to be a grand occasion?" He waved a hand around the empty Highbridge, "Where're the cheering fans? The crying women? What happened to the grand fanfare of wishing a hero the best?"

"This is it," Braska smiled, "Too many goodbyes and people think twice about leaving." He looked sadly down toward the Temple. "Enough Pilgrimages end in failure already... if there was a great fanfare each time a Summoner left, it would result in... fewer Pilgrimages, as they came to realise what they left behind."

Jecht didn't look convinced, but shrugged, "Hmm... if you say so! You sure know more about this sort of thing than me. Hell, I don't even know how I got here!" Auron and Braska had found him earlier in the Pilgrimage, and after much mistrust and rather vehement disbelief, they begun to accept that he might well be what and who he said he was... although they still didn't believe where he said he came from. Jecht guffawed, "Well, it better be a lot more colourful when we come back. A parade for Braska: vanquisher of Sin!" His harsh voice rose to a near shout, and Auron sighed as Braska looked on in amusement. The two exchanged looks, but did not say anything further on the subject.

Smiling gently, Braska motioned ahead of them. "We should go. Day will break soon."

Jecht tucked the sphere away, and fell into step with Braska and Auron, "Yeah. Right. Wouldn't want to still be here when it gets light, and all..."

Braska chuckled softly, as Auron ground his teeth in frustration at his fellow Guardian's antics. The man really had no respect for Yevon! Even if he did know the Prayer!

-

When Xander came to, it was in a snowdrift with a rock poking him in the back.

And it was bloody cold, to boot.

When he opened his eyes, he rather wished he hadn't bothered; mostly because there was a blue furred demon with a broken horn looking down at him with a speculative look on its face. After the First Evil's various tricks, seeing his death as a chew toy wasn't quite such bad news as might be imagined, which stopped his almost automatic reaction, which would have been to crab backwards in an attempt to put as much distance between his blue furred sharp toothed death and himself as possible.

There was just one problem: it wasn't attacking.

Finally summoning up what remained of his courage, he muttered a nervous, "Hi."

"You are not fiend," the blue furred thing spoke cautiously, carefully forming the words. "Who are you?"

Xander was taken aback, "Um... you're not a demon, then?" He shook his head, "Good, that's good. Look, you wouldn't happen to have seen some incorporeal thing that can change form, would you? Only its trying, to, like, kill me. Or something."

"No," the thing shook its head. "Nothing you describe."

"Oh... damn," Xander sighed, "I was kinda hopin' that it could be persuaded to maybe send me home again, or something. Not that I'd survive too long there anyway..." He thought back to the murderous look in Buffy's eyes, and knew that she would not even bother to think if she ever saw him again. "Maybe it's for the best..." he paused, "what am I saying? The First sends me to some snow covered... with a... um... hang on, what are you exactly?"

The blue thing straightened, "Kimahri Ronso," it declared, crossing its arms over its chest, as if daring Xander to defy him.

"And is that what you are, or who you are?" Xander raised an eyebrow, "Well, I'm Xander. Xander Harris," he stuck out a hand, and then wondered about the wisdom of that, but not wanting to upset the seven foot tall Kimahri by withdrawing the hand, "pleased to meet you."

Kimahri looked at the hand, before extending one of his own. He took the offered hand cautiously, and pulled back in shock as Xander pumped his hand vigorously in greeting. The two stared at one another for a long moment, before Kimahri tentatively extended his hand again. This time, the Ronso's natural strength nearly removed Xander's shoulder from its socket as he copied what Xander had done during the handshake.

Kimahri grinned, showing all his teeth, as Xander staggered backwards clutching his shoulder, "Damn you're strong!"

"It is quiet," Kimahri announced, "we should go before fiends come."

Xander shivered suddenly, the cold finally penetrating through to him, "Uh, yeah right. Let's go."

They walked silently for a few minutes, before Xander reached out to tap the Ronso's arm, "Uh... can you tell me where I am? Despite my kinda flaky geography, I don't think I'm in California anymore."

"This Mount Gagazet," Kimahri announced, "sacred Ronso Mountain. Ronso tribe kill all who set foot on Mountain that not of Ronso tribe."

Xander absorbed this with stunning calm, "So... uh... how come you haven't killed me?"

Kimahri looked at him.

"Hey, I was just asking! Not that I want to die, you understand!"

Kimahri remained silent, looking back toward the path they were following.

-

A/N: I now have a healthy respect for those writers who have focussed on Kimahri as a character in their fics. He's a tough nut to get through - and very difficult to write in a style that I am happy with. The general formula might be "Third Person + Little Speech Kimahri" but writing this, I found it isn't quite that simple...

Reviewing would feed the muse. Feeding the muse is good - trust me on this. 


End file.
